Crocosmia plant named ‘Lava’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Crocosmia  plant named ‘Lava’, characterized by its upright plant habit; strong, sturdy and resistance to lodging; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; numerous and relatively large and upward-facing orange red and orange-colored flowers; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Crocosmia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LAVA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Crocosmia plant, also referred to as Montbretia, botanically known as Crocosmia X hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lava’.

The new Crocosmia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new upright and strong Crocosmia plants with large attractive upward-facing flowers, a long flowering period and winter hardiness.

The new Crocosmia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom on Jul. 10, 2007 of two unnamed seedling selections of Crocosmia X hybrida, not patented. The new Crocosmia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom on Aug. 14, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Crocosmia plant by divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Carisbrook, Newport, The Isle of Wight, United Kingdom since the spring of 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Crocosmia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Crocosmia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lava’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lava’ as a new and distinct Crocosmia plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit; strong, sturdy and resistance to         lodging.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Numerous and relatively large and upward-facing orange red         and orange-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Crocosmia differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Crocosmia are more freely flowering than         plants of the parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Crocosmia have larger flowers than plants         of the parent selections.     -   3. Plants of the new Crocosmia are more winter hardy than plants         of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Crocosmia can be compared to plants of Crocosmia masonianum ‘Okovango’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Crocosmia differ primarily from plants of ‘Okovango’ in flower color as plants of the new Crocosmia have orange red and orange-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Okovango’ have soft apricot orange-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Crocosmia have larger flowers than plants of ‘Okovango’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Crocosmia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Crocosmia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Lava’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Lava’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Crocosmia grown during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Hillegom, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 20° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Crocosmia X hybrida ‘Lava’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Crocosmia X hybrida, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Crocosmia X hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures about             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About seven weeks at             temperatures ranging from 15° to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy and fibrous;             brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; medium density.         -   Corms.—To date, corm development has not been observed on             plants of the new Crocosmia. -   Overall plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; overall plant             shape, narrowly oblong with slightly arching flowering             stems; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; strong             stems that develop at the plant base and resist lodging;             moderate to rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 75             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 107             cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 22.5 cm. -   Stem description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright.         -   Length.—About 66 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 18.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous, waxy; slightly glossy.         -   Color, when developing.—Close to 199A.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 199A to 199B; under surface             tinged with close to 146C; waxy cuticle, close to 198B to             198C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Appearance.—Simple, distichous; sessile.         -   Quantity per stem.—About eight.         -   Length.—About 56.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ensiform, strongly plicate.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acuminate.         -   Base.—Sheathing; sheath is about 34.4 cm in length, 1 cm in             width and close to 146B in color.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Camptodrome.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             between 146A and 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to between 146A and 147B; venation,             close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single tubular flowers arranged on             terminal rhipidiums; flowers sessile; flowers face mostly             outwardly and upward-facing; perianth segments fused; freely             flowering habit with about 89 flowers developing per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous in July and             August in The Netherlands; plants begin flowering about six             months after planting.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly obovate, slightly curved downward. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte.             Color: Close to 46A and 46B; towards the base, close to 152C             and 152D; immature sepals, upper surface, close to 183A and             183B; immature sepals, lower surface, close to 144B.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 35.6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 28 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.6 cm by 5.5 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 6.3 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 8 mm to 9 mm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with three segments fused towards the base; inner             whorl of perianth segments has a larger dorsal segment and             two smaller lateral segments that are similar to outer whorl             segments. Inner perianth dorsal segment: Length: About             6.2 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Obovate; proximally,             52.5% of the length of the segment is fused into a tube.             Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte.             Color, when opening, upper surface: Close to 33A. Color,             when opening, lower surface: Close to 33A, 33B and 42B.             Color, fully opening, upper surface: Close to N30B; towards             the throat, close to 28A; venation, similar to lamina; color             does not change with development. Color, fully opening,             lower surface: Close to N30A to N30B; venation, close to             42A; color does not change with development. Inner perianth             lateral segments and outer perianth segments: Length: About             4.8 cm. Width, inner lateral segments: About 1.6 cm. Width,             outer segments: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Obovate; proximally,             52.5% of the length of the segment is fused into a tube.             Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; matte.             Color, when opening, upper surface: Close to 33A. Color,             when opening, lower surface: Close to 33A, 33B and 42B.             Color, fully opening, upper surface: Close to N30A to N30B;             venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with             development. Color, fully opening, lower surface: Close to             34A; towards the base, close to N25A and N25B; venation,             close to 42A; color does not change with development. Flower             throat and tube: Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous,             moderately velvety; matte. Color, throat: Close to N34A and             46A flushed with close to 14A; venation, similar to lamina.             Color, tube: Close to 33B; proximally, close to 23A;             venation, similar to lamina.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Three in a single whorl. Length: About             1 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Broadly oblong. Apex:             Praemorse. Base: Broadly cuneate, fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 179B; towards the base, close to 146B.             Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 183A tinged with close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 34.7 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle, primary peduncles: Proximally,             erect; distally, arching to about 30° from vertical. Angle,             lateral peduncles: About 40° from primary peduncle axis.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous, waxy; matte. Color, upper             surface: Close to 200B and N200A; waxy cuticle, close to             198B to 198C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B; waxy             cuticle, close to 198B to 198C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             three. Filament length: About 3 cm. Filament color:             Distally, close to 25B; proximally, close to 12A. Anther             shape: Narrowly sagittate. Anther size: About 9 mm by             1.25 mm. Anther color: Close to 21C. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 5.6 cm. Style length: About 5 cm.             Style color: Distally, close to N25A to N25B; proximally,             close to 12A. Stigma shape: Three-parted, curved. Stigma             size: About 6 mm by 6 mm. Stigma color: Close to 20A. Ovary             color: Close to 143C.         -   Fruits and seeds.—To date, fruit and seed development have             not been observed on plants of the new Crocosmia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Crocosmia     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Crocosmia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Crocosmia have been observed     to have good garden performance, to resist lodging and to tolerate     wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about −12° C. to about 35°     C.; plants of the new Crocosmia are suitable for USDA Hardiness     Zones 6 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Crocosmia plant named ‘Lava’ as illustrated and described. 